


Decay

by tinydragon555



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alex Danvers Needs a Hug, Alien Technology, Amnesia, Brain Damage, Forgive Me, Gen, Good Sibling Alex Danvers, James Olsen As Himself, Kara Danvers Has Amnesia, Kara Danvers-centric, Kara doesn't remember but is a good sister anyways, Lena Luthor Knows Kara Danvers Is Supergirl, Lena Luthor is Always Having an Existential Crisis, My scientific knowledge comes from Grey's Anatomy, Out of Character Kara Danvers, POV Kara Danvers, Post-Season/Series 04, The DEO has had enough, The X-Files References, sue me
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-13
Updated: 2019-08-19
Packaged: 2020-08-20 08:29:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20224846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinydragon555/pseuds/tinydragon555
Summary: Supergirl is shot with an alien weapon, causing her to lose her memory. What happens next?This is a season five AU, Lena isn't doing the thing she did in the trailer (sorry if you want that), and I'm not the expert on science. Enjoy!





	1. Can't Remember

She couldn't remember anything.

She couldn't remember … anything at all.

Not her name, her age. She couldn't know if she was an only child or if she had a hoard of siblings to keep her alive during young years. She wondered about parents, or friends. Enemies?

One thing that was drilled into her mind was “Get away from the orange blasts! Danger! Danger!” Of course she listened to her pure instinct, even if there was a woman dressed in stocky black clothing yelling a familiar name. “Supergirl!” … Or was it a title? Maybe a compliment.

She knew she could fly, she was doing it already. Using her connection to the radiation and the pull of the yellow sun to propel herself through the foriegn airs. She decided to find someplace high, somewhere she could hide from the man with the orange blasts.

A tall building stood out above the rest, something about it itching in her mind like the most persistent of bug bites. She gained speed, flying faster towards the building and slowing down once she reached a large balcony protruding from a glass-paneled office on the top floor. She tilted her head, viewing a woman hunched over a keyboard, rapidly typing in what she supposed were essays of some sort.

The woman looked disheveled, to say the least. Her dark hair was pulled back into a loose, messy bun, with a few strands lingering over her cheekbones. Her face was pale, bright green eyes tired with purple circles noticeable even after the makeup used to cover them up. She frowned. Why would her mind call her here, of all places?

She lowered herself onto the balcony, looking down to the suit she was wearing. Bright primary colors splashed together, the blue and red mixed well, and a yellow diamond-shaped crest of the letter “S” stood out on her chest. Perhaps this was related to her family, or alignment?

The gentle drop of her boots on the balcony alerted the woman on the other side of the glass, her head whipping around at what had to be an uncomfortable speed. The woman got out of her chair quickly, opening the sliding glass door to greet her. “Supergirl.” The woman said, her cold tone was confusing, but that same name the woman in black had spoken was used by this one as well. Was it truly her name? It was odd, even to her amnesiac standards.

“Does everyone around here really call me that?” She asked, tilting her head in genuine thought. The dark-haired woman's brows furrowed in barely shown suspicion. “What do you mean? You've lived with it for four years.” She said, putting her hands on her hips.

“I know I am not a toddler, so this can't be the name my parents gave me. Wait- do I have parents? I assume I can ask you this, my mind instinctively led me here. I don't remember who I am. Can you help?” ‘Supergirl’ said, giving the other woman a thinking pout.

“You don't remember anything?” The other woman asked, her tone surprised but calculating. ‘Supergirl’ nods, folding her arms under her chest. Was this a common occurrence, her being hit by alien objects? “Yes.” She answers, drawing the word out slowly. The other woman's eyebrow twitches in confusion, for just a short moment.

“I'll call your sister. She'll know what to … do.” The dark-haired woman said, now sounding unsure of herself. Did she not want ‘Supergirl’ to regain her memories? Why? She decided with another question. “Who's my sister? What's your name?”

“Your sister is Alex Danvers. My name is Lena Luthor.” She said, walking to her messy desk and searching for her phone. ‘Supergirl’ tilts her head. “What's my name? My real one.” She asks Lena, who turns around with a thin, black phone in hand.

Lena looks uncomfortable for a moment, sighing. “Kara Danvers.” She says, her eyes unable to meet Kara's own. She frowns. “Something's troubling you.”

Lena shakes her head, typing a number on her phone. “It's nothing.” She mutters, and now the phone is ringing. Once. Twice. A voice comes out of the speaker. “Lena!? Is Supergirl there with you?” A familiar voice asks, Kara associating it with the black-suited brunette from earlier. That was her sister?

“Alex, stop pretending I don't know. And yes, she's here. In my office at L-Corp. Come get her.” Lena speaks to Alex, holding the phone to her ear. Kara thinks she isn't supposed to hear the other end of the line. If she can fly, maybe superhuman hearing is also one of her abilities? She believes this is the case.

Alex is silent for a few moments, background voices heard yelling. “Thank you. Be there in fifteen minutes.” Her sister says, and the call cuts out. Lena sighs again, pocketing her phone and turning around. “You can wait on the couch.” She tells Kara, pointing to the white couch on the other end of the office. She nods, walking towards the couch.

Kara sits down, hands on her knees. She taps her fingers for a few moments, and watches as Lena sits down on her desk chair. She's already typing away. Kara feels uncomfortable with her posture, it must be straining her spine hunching over like that.

A few minutes pass by, and Kara sighs. “Are we friends when I remember?” She asks, making Lena jolt at the sudden noise. “What?” Lena questions, as if she hadn't heard Kara. Perhaps she didn't.

“Are we friends?” Kara repeats, and Lena frowns. She gives a thoughtful hum. “We were. But you lied to me. It hurt me that you did for so long, I don't think we'll ever recover. At least, we won't be as close as we once were.” Lena explains, and Kara feels more and more down the longer she speaks.

“I'm sorry for what I lied about. I shouldn't have kept anything from you, if it was that big, for that long.” Kara apologizes for her normal self’s mistake. What did she lie about? A secret friend, maybe? An opinion that was important to Lena?

  
“It doesn't help when you don't know what you lied about. But I appreciate the apology, anyway.” Lena says, folding her arms over her desk. Kara nods. “You're welcome.” She smiles, hoping that maybe she fixed a little piece of the broken glass her and Lena's friendship was. Lena seemed like she would be a wonderful friend. For as long as she didn't have her memories, Kara would try and fix their friendship. It would be worth it.


	2. Diagnosis

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara is taken to the DEO by Alex, and is tested and x-rayed to figure out why she can't remember herself.

Exactly on time, three federal agents, including who Kara presumed to be Alex Danvers, arrived outside of Lena's office. They were let inside, Alex immediately walking towards Kara without a regard for her friend. “Hey. You alright?” Her sister asks, everything about her posture screaming “considerate”.

“I think. I have a headache.” Kara replies, to which Alex turns and glares at Lena as if she were the culprit behind her discomfort. She frowns, while the two women have a staring contest. “She didn't tell you during the phone call. I don't remember anything about who I am. Lena told me my name, and yours.” Kara says, and Alex whips her head back around.

“What? We have to get you to the DEO! Come on.” Alex says, grabbing Kara's hand, and attempting to pull her off of the couch. Kara stays seated. “Can't Lena come?” She asks with a pout in place, and Alex's jaw drops. “Uh. No?” She drawls. Lena looks to be enjoying this immensely, a smirk on her face.

“Why not?” Kara scowls at her sister, pushing herself off of the couch and crossing her arms tightly over her chest. Alex scoffs. “She is not allowed, -nor is any civilian, to enter the DEO.” Her agent sister says, to which Kara frowns at. “Why not? She won't hurt anyone.” Kara knows she can trust Lena.

Alex sighs. “It's not about that. Just, come on. Once you get your memories back you can visit her as much as you like.” She says, and Kara agrees with an irritated glance to the agents accompanying her sister. She chances one last look at Lena, and then follows her sister out of the office.

The ride down the elevator is quiet, except for Alex's constant tapping with her boot toe. Kara's getting irritated by this. How could she stand Alex when she  did  have her memories? “Can you stop?” She hisses at Alex, with a glare. Alex freezes, staring at Kara with wide eyes. “O-okay.” She says, trading her straight posture for a slight slouch. One of the other two agents snickers, finding this interaction funny.

After exiting the elevator into the L-Corp lobby, Kara is greeted with murmurs from bystanders, some obvious reporters and paparazzi snapping pictures. So she's a celebrity of some sort? Maybe a superhero. That makes sense.

She's herded into a sleek black van, jumping into the back and sitting beside Alex. The vehicle roars to life, immediately starting towards its destination. Alex bumps her shoulder with her own.

“You don't remember anything?” She asks, Kara assuming she's beginning small talk to pass the time. Kara obliges. “I don't remember personal details, but I am able to point out objects, phrases, and such.” She explains, Alex nodding along.

“You talk like a robot.” She points out unhelpfully, and Kara glared at her. “I don't remember my personality, or any motivation from past conflicts. Those shape a person, and the way they talk. So right now, I don't know how I used to act.” Kara says, Alex nods. “You're more angry than regular you.”

“You didn't let Lena come. I don't care about whatever DEO regulations there are, that's just rude.” Kara leans back against her seat, head rolling back as she closes her eyes with a huff. Alex chuckles. “Well, at least that hasn't changed. I remember how you two always were before she found out your real identity. Totally inseparable.”

“Why do I hide my identity?” Kara asks, peeking out of one now open eye. Alex raises her brows. “To protect yourself and the people you love. They'd all become targets for your enemies.” She explains, Kara's mood growing more sour. “I have enemies?”

“Yeah totally. Over the past years, there's been … uh, Maxwell Lord. Lillian Luthor, Queen Rhea, just to name a few of the more … challenging bad guys.” Alex says, looking to be struggling with a few names. They must have taken much from Kara and Alex.

The van pulls to a stop, everyone piled out of the vehicle and in front of a tall, rounded building. Kara assumes this is the DEO. She follows Alex into the building, not so many stares this time around. She thinks that people here are more familiar with her presence. Alex is taking her to a room that resembles a hospital, with the thin beds and odd machines scattered about. She points to a bed. “Sit.”

Kara nods, walking towards the bed and hopping on. Of course, nothing goes as well as planned. The bed breaks in two.

“Oh. You need new beds.” Kara says, still sitting in a pile of metal, mattress, and blanket. She picks at a piece of cotton. “Oh- come on. You forgot you had super strength!?” Alex says, a scolding tone in her voice. Kara shrugs. “I only thought I could fly and hear really well. Guess this is another addition to the list.” She says nonchalantly, standing up and using extra caution with the next bed. Relieved, she doesn't break this one.

Alex sighs. “I'll deal with the broken bed later. Now, this is a Kryptonite needle. It's going to hurt, but I'm drawing your blood. We need a sample.” Her sister says, and Kara warily allows the sickening needle to penetrate her skin. Her veins glow bright green from the contact, which mildly scares her. Is it poison? She doesn't mind the pain much, she must have a high threshold.

Alex finishes extracting her blood, walking back over to her tray. Kara stares down at the spot where the needle pricked her, and it is slowly leaking blood. She frowns, getting up and walking over to Alex. “It's bleeding.” She points out, showing Alex her arm. There's a low thrum of pain around the area.

“Oh, sorry. Here.” Alex picks up a cotton ball, along with a long roll of tape. She presses the ball to Kara's inner elbow, wrapping the tape around her arm. “There. You can take it off in an hour.” She says, Kara agreeing with a soft smile. “Thank you. What next?” She asks.

“I'm sending this to the medical nerds down the hall, because I'm taking a full-body x-ray of you right now. Those take a while.” She says, patting Kara's shoulder. She walks to the door, holding a plastic baggie containing the blood sample. There's already a man in a lab coat outside, eagerly retrieving the bag and shuffling off towards the direction of his lab.

“Alright. Come on.” Alex says, ushering Kara towards the x-ray rooms. It's dark, with two sides separated by a glass window. Alex steadies Kara on the x-ray bed, telling her where to put her arms and to stay still. Alex walks into the other room, and presses a button which activates the machine. Kara thinks she must be certified heavily to be able to do this.

The machine starts to pull her bed inside, the whir is loud and engulfs every other sound around her. Super-hearing sucks right about now. She closes her eyes, taking a deep breath. The whirring is louder, and she can imagine spinning in outer space, dizzy despite the lack of gravity. She suppresses a groan that began to crawl up her throat.

After a few seconds, or maybe minutes, or maybe hours, she didn't know, the machine stopped whirring, the bed pulling out of the machine. Kara feels sick. She doesn't know why. Alex is there, but Kara can't hear what she's saying. Although a soft smile is on her sister's face, so she assumes that everything is well? Or is it pity? Kara sighs.

Alex tells her to go into the bathroom, handing her folded hospital clothes. They have a checkered blue and white pattern. And itch of cotton. Kara doesn't want to wear it, but perhaps it is for the best. Does it help her health? She enters the room, taking off her suit with minimum effort. After adjusting the tie on the back of the hospital gown, she folds up her rumpled suit and cape, holding them in her arms as she exits the small room. There are people outside the room, talking behind the windows. She frowns, listening in on them.

One is obviously military, a woman holding respect in her grasp. She is speaking with worry. Alex is beside her, along with a short man with long, dark hair. “What are you saying, Agent Danvers?” The woman asks, and Alex sighs, stress visible physically. “Supergirl’s brain is being attacked by an alien substance. It affected her memory, but is slowly spreading to other sections. We need to find a cure soon, if not …” Alex looks down. She can't seem to finish the sentence.

“If not, her brain will slowly decay, killing her. We'd like to avoid it.” The man cuts in curtly, stating facts without emotion. If possible, Kara is feeling more sick. Those orange blasts are killing her? “I estimate at this speed, she has months. We have to find a cure before permanent mental deficits set in.” The man finishes, and her sister looks on the verge of tears. “Excuse me.” Alex says weakly, walking back into the room. Kara has found a place to sit, because she fears she may have fallen if she were to stand any longer.

“Hey, Kar.” Alex says, sitting beside her. Kara understands Alex needs her to act like her sister. Not a stranger. Kara smiles softly at Alex. “Hey, Alex. What's going on out there?” She asks, because playing dumb is something she assumes would make her sister feel better. Alex sighs, sniffling and wiping her nose. She must be on the verge of tears.

“Nothing, it's just stressful. We're going to find a cure to get your memories back. In fact, we have the people who shot you in custody. We'll be finding answers soon, don't worry.” Alex says, and looks as if she was going to go in for a hug. She hesitates. Kara understands why, she doesn't remember Alex being her sister. But she promised to herself she'd act like one, and will make Alex feel happier for her sake.

  
“Come on.” Kara smiles, pulling Alex in for a hug. She cautions restraint, not wanting to crush the poor girl. Super-strength must be terrible to live with daily. Alex grins, teary-eyed, and hugs Kara back tight. They stay there for a while, only each other for comfort. Kara finds she likes it that way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please leave a comment to tell me if you want more, and suggestions for the story?


	3. Hospital Gowns

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara feels that Lena could be the key to finding a cure.

Kara is sitting on her med bay bed, straight as a rod, listening to the interrogation happening a few rooms away from her. Alex is yelling at one of the three people who planned to take her memories from her. Her sister lost her cool about two minutes into the interrogation, demanding answers.

  


A knock on the opening to the room snaps Kara out of her eavesdropping. She turns to see a young, dark-skinned man, his posture wary. She frowns. “Who are you?” She asks, and the man looks resigned, as if he expected this but hoped with all of his heart for it not to be true. He walked closer to her bed, Kara is now wary.

  


“James Olsen. I'm your friend.” He introduces himself, holding out a hand. Kara shakes it. “We’re friends?” She repeats, and James nods. “Yeah. I'm your boss- in your regular life when you're not saving cats from trees and putting out fires. You're a reporter.” He says, and Kara tilts her head. “Like the ones at L-Corp?” She asks, and James raises his eyebrows. “Uh, yeah. There would be reporters at the place where Lena Luthor works.”

  


“Is she a superhero like me? Or popular?” Kara questions, her brows scrunching together. She knew the reporters were eager for photos of ‘Supergirl’, what made them want to photograph Lena? Hopefully not to say anything untowards.

  


“Uh, she's popular, alright. Her brother went crazy and killed a lot of people. Her mom, too.” James says, and Kara's jaw drops. “Why would they do that?” She manages to speak through her awe. The man before her sighs. “They're against aliens.” He says, as if that is the most simple explanation he can offer. Kara's mouth twitches in a frown. “Aliens are here?”

  


James chuckles. “Yes, you're actually an alien. One of the last of your kind. I'm friends with your cousin.” He says, and Kara takes this in slowly. She has a cousin. She is an alien of an endangered species. What else? She has secret family across the universe who are plotting to take over Earth?

  


“Do you know any more aliens?” She decides to hold off on questioning about the type of alien she is. That must be why she has superhuman powers, right?

  


James nods. “Nia Nal is an alien, she's your protogé as a reporter and superhero.” He smiles softly. “There's also Brainy, who is as he claims, “A level twelve intellect”.” James says, holding his hands up in finger quotes while impersonating the man she had seen discussing her condition with Alex and the military woman.

  


Kara smiles at his attempt to act as Brainy. Although her mood isn't lightened much, a large fact hanging over her head like bait just waiting for her to hook her mouth around. She won't accept it, not yet. She's not ready for death. She wants to get her memories back, she wants to remember all of the people she's loved and hated in her life. It doesn't matter if she dies then, at least she goes complete.

  


Kara's so busy locking herself in eternal contemplation that she doesn't immediately notice Alex entering the med bay. She looks up, seeing the brunette shuffling nervously, her resolve threatening to break. Kara can hear the woman's heartbeat, it's racing. Is she scared, fearful of Kara's condition? What's to come? She must not have found the cure.

  


“James. Nice to see you.” Alex says in a curt greeting, James turning to smile at her. He's so pulled together and confident, no wonder she made friends with him. Must have been a sturdy wall to hold her together. Or maybe just a close work relationship? Kara's getting tired of contemplating her life that she doesn't remember.

  


“Hey Alex.” He gives a short wave, and Alex sighs. “You here to help or just visit Kara?” She asks, and James flinches at her authoritative tone. Even Kara agrees that Alex can be scary at any time she chooses.

  


“Help?” James offers lamely, and Alex sighed exaggeratedly. She gestures out of the room, and her friend follows. Kara feels left out. She could help too. They think she's sick. Not now, she doesn't feel like it. “Argh.” Kara sighed in agitation, pushing herself out of bed. She kicked off the thin, itchy blanket, walking out of the room. She's in the lower level of the DEO, agents and workers bustling about busily. There's a main area, filled with many faces she recognizes. Although, Lena's not there. She could ask her for help. Lena's a scientist, right? A really smart one.

  


Kara has her mind set. She's going to visit Lena, and ask for her help in regaining her memories. The cure to her imminent passing. She begins to walk towards the hallway that leads to the exit, following the passage and ignoring the stares and hushed conversations. She's had enough of that.

  


Kara's finally outside, in the middle of the city, no less. It's loud. There are screams of pain in one direction, happiness in another. There are loud crowds of people yelling in protest, and there are also crowds of children and families in parks. How did she live with this hearing ability? She's getting tired of the stares the people passing by are giving her. Kara rockets into the sky.

  


She's aware that she's still wearing a hospital gown with only underwear and a bra beneath. It's better than nothing, and she doesn't know what Alex did with her suit anyways. Kara follows the route towards L-Corp, seeing the familiar building in the distance. 

  


She lands on the balcony without checking to see if Lena's even in there, opening the sliding glass door. Kara walks in, head down, thinking of how to recruit Lena to her cause.

  


“Excuse me?” An obviously terrified female voice asks, and Kara looks up. That's not Lena. She scowls, which seems to make the timid woman even more frightened than she already is. “Supergirl?” She asks, and Kara's not the least bit relieved this woman only uses her alias’ name. “Where is Lena Luthor?” Kara asks, tilting her head only an inch to the side. It must have been an intimidating enough action, and the woman replied sheepishly. “Home. It's her day off.”

  


Kara growls in frustration, turning around on a heel. Of course she wasn't going to be in the one place Kara knew she may be. She remembers she doesn't know Lena's address. She turns back to the woman. “Do you know where her home is, exactly?”

  
  
  


Kara's relieved to find the familiar heartbeat of one Lena Luthor inside her penthouse apartment, safe and sound. She finds a balcony, luckily, and lands on it swiftly. The Luthor is curled up on her couch, watching a television show that Kara doesn't know the name of.

  


“Do you believe in the existence of extraterrestrials, Agent Scully?” A man asks on the screen, and the camera cuts to a short brunette woman that reminds Kara of Alex. She smiles. The show continues to play, and Kara walks in. Lena doesn't seem to notice her presence, that is, until she leans onto the couch with her elbows. The woman yelps, rolling over and off of the couch, dropping her popcorn bowl in the process. Lena jumps up, staring at Kara wildly. “Supergirl!? I mean- Kara. Kara?” She corrects herself, eyes wide.

  


“Yes. Hi, Lena.” Kara says, giving a polite wave, her mouth quirking up into a smile. The CEO looks wary. “Why in the hell are you wearing a hospital gown?” She asks, staring at the offending piece of clothing like it was something that had made a mistake coming into the world. “They think I'm sick. And that I need to sleep in this … thin piece of cotton.” Kara frowns, looking down at the gown. Lena sighs.

  


“I take it you still don't have your memories?” She assumes correctly, reaching down to grab a remote. Lena turns around, pausing her episode. “Yes. And, if I may ask, what show is that?” Kara questions Lena. The woman shrugs. “X-Files. You and me used to marathon it so many times.” She smiles fondly. Kara returns the expression.

  


After an awkward moment, Lena clears her throat. “Sorry. What are you here for?” She asks, interrupting one of the few moments Kara is at peace. Kara sighs. “You are a scientist, correct?” Lena nods. “The DEO hasn't found a cure for me yet. The people who shot me won't give it up. Can you help?”

  
Lena seems to contemplate this for a moment, biting her lip. Kara finds it incredibly distracting. “Alright. But I can't go to the DEO. We'll have to go to L-Corp.” Kara shakes her head enthusiastically. “Yeah, that's fine! Can you get me a more comfortable hospital gown?” Lena agrees, and Kara is ecstatic.


	4. Luthor Blues

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara and Lena have a chat in the lab below L-Corp.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this one is short, but patience, children. Chaos is coming, soon ;)

Lena had taken Kara into a lab beneath L-Corp, and Lena had explained to her that it had special qualities able to handle “Kryptonian” biology. Kara had told Lena on repeat not to call Alex, she'd just take her to the DEO again and they would be back to square one.

Kara sat swinging her legs on one of the plastic chairs in the lab, watching Lena type some notes of some sort into her computer. The headache from earlier was back full-force, but she didn't want to bother Lena with her inconveniences. She was working on a cure, right?

Kara tilts her head as she stares at the floor, seeing beneath the tiles and into the metal piping. She hums softly, understanding that this may be yet another one of her powers. She looks up, putting her hand in front of her eyes. Kara can see each individual bone, muscle, tendon, and even blood vessels pumping, as easily as she could breath. She drops her hand, and examines the woman across from her curiously, marvelling at how easily she could count the bones and breaths of her friend.

Lena pauses in her writing, turning to look at Kara with a raised eyebrow. “You're staring.” She pointed out casually, and Kara snaps her gaze back to Lena's eyes. She chuckles nervously. “Yeah, uh, sorry. I can see into things I think I'm not supposed to. Bodies are so very complicated.” Kara shakes her head, not catching the blush spreading across Lena's face.

“The DEO didn't mention your x-ray vision?” She questions, and Kara raises her eyes to her friend's. She nods. “They only explained each new power once it was too late. I managed to destroy a hospital bed, and I … I overheard something that I don't think I was supposed to.” Kara sighed, not particularly wanting to reveal this information to Lena. She would be giving the alien one of the many pitiful looks that Alex, James, and the rest of her “friends” had given her. Pity was an expression that Kara had found she wanted to punch out of everyone's caring faces. A cure would be found, she was sure of it.

Lena nods with a hum. “Can you tell me what the DEO has already found out?” Kara sighed in exasperation, getting out of her chair, beginning to pace. “I really don't want to. But, if it helps you with a cure. Well, I'll start with the weapon. It had an alien design, unlike any other gun I've seen before. I think. It shot orange blasts, that made me forget myself. The people that had the gun are in custody, no worries.” Kara said, stopping her pacing and throwing Lena a smile. Lena returned it, although it looked rather forced, to be polite more than anything. Kara found her mood worsen with this, the forgotten headache once again making its presence known.

“Uh, well, then I had some tests done on me.” Kara said, looking to her arm which was still wrapped in tape and cotton. She huffed, ripping off the tape easily, taking the ball of cotton as well and chucking both into a nearby trash can.

“And x-rays too. That gave them results, and they don't want me to know but I do. I do and it's … it's terrifying.” Kara crosses her arms over her chest, closing her eyes and sighing. Lena speaks up. “Kara, what did they find?” Her voice wavers. Kara knows that even if she and her friend had a recent falling out, that Lena did in fact care deeply for her. Would this news be as hard as it was on Alex? She couldn't have known Lena for longer than her own sister, but bonds are formed quickly between people.

“They … well. They said the gun blasts made me forget myself. And it's going to keep taking from my brain, it's going to … kill me. If we don't get the cure.” Kara looks to Lena. The Luthor’s breathing has quickened, heartbeat deeper and faster. Kara didn't want this. Any of this.

“I wasn't expecting my week to turn out like this.” Lena sighed, her breathing now partially controlled. Kara finds her chair again, scooting over to Lena. She knows possible death sentences aren't healthy for anyone's psychosis.

“I got out of bed on Monday, and expected maybe two attempts on my life that week? A couple scientific revelations. Some charity galas. I didn't think that Kara Danvers, or Supergirl, or whatever you want me to call you …” Lena groans. “I didn't think that you'd lose your memory and maybe your life as well. Everyone thinks you're invincible.” Kara frowns.

“Am I?” She asks, tilting her head. It didn't seem possible, after all, that needle had easily penetrated her skin. And she had constant headaches that had to be coming from somewhere.

“In daily life? Yes. In supernatural battles, no. The universe isn't fair.” Lena looks up to Kara with hooded eyes, still not having gotten enough sleep. Kara can see the violet circles beneath her eyelids look more bruised than anything, and something clicks in her heart. She doesn't understand why Lena expects to be killed every day, why she believes that she isn't good. Lena didn't try to take advantage of her condition, even when Kara was looking for answers without a clue as to who, or what, she is. The Luthor doesn't believe in herself, and Kara is determined to change that. Such a brilliant brain, a  person , shouldn't be wasted. Even if the universe isn't “fair”, it has to allow one good thing to clash with the bad.

“I don’t know if regular Kara did, but I don't care for the universe. I don't care about laws, or what's supposed to be. We can find a cure, we can fix our friendship. We can … do all that tomorrow.” Kara sighs, smiling. “First, you should get some sleep. The color under your eyes won't go away after staring at a screen for hours. I can wait a day or two.”

Lena looks like she is about to argue, her jaw open and a hand raised in a point, but she falters. The Luthor knows her limits, and four hours of sleep in seven days isn't healthy for any body, human or alien. She huffs. “I'll grab a couple hours, but that's it. How fast did the DEO say your … condition, was progressing?”

“They said I have months. Or a year. Vague guesses.” The kryptonian shakes her head. “Maybe I should get back. I didn't notify anyone I was leaving.” Kara gets up off of her chair, looking down to Lena who was still slouched in her own. The CEO bites her lip, a conflicted expression on her face. “Do you think maybe you could get me the gun that the people used on you?”

  
“Maybe.” Kara smirks at her friend, and starts to walk toward the double doors. She opens them with a controlled push, not wanting to break them like she did with the hospital bed, and strides outside. It's only when she's in the alley behind L-Corp that she remembers she never changed out of the horrible cotton gown that the DEO had forced her to wear. Maybe she should get some clothes while she's free.


End file.
